the door thereof being open, and with them were the
three elder Brothers. There they stood to hear
the votes of each man separately, for they could be
seen by all, but none could hear what was said.
Then the votes of each being heard and counted, our
Sub-Prior, Brother Henry, son of William of Deventer,
was chosen and nominated to be Prior, having the votes
of the more part recorded for him on the paper, namely
sixteen. Some there were beside that did not
choose him, but of these three Brothers did not vote
at this time, and two chose the Procurator, James
Cluyt. Then one of the elder Brothers, on behalf
of himself and of the more part, besought the Prior
of the Superior House to confirm the election, who
straightway appointed the next day to be the last
for any to oppose. And when none made opposition
to the manner of the election, nor said aught against
the Brother who was chosen, the Prior elect was called
to consent to his election which had been made according
to the canons, so that it might be duly confirmed.
And he straightway prostrated himself in the midst
of the Brothers protesting that he was not sufficient,
and he humbly besought to be relieved of this burden,
but when he could not gain his purpose, and dared not
obstinately to resist, he gave consent in an humble
voice, being overcome by the insistence of the Brothers
and compelled by his obedience to his superior:
and he submitted himself to the ordinance of God for
the sake of observing brotherly love and the needful
discipline of the cloister. So when he had been
confirmed by the Prior of Windesem he was led in to
the choir in the presence of all the Brothers, and
placed in his stall, and prayers were offered up.
After which done all the members of the Chapter straightway
went into the House, and following the accustomed
manner all the professed Brothers took the vow of obedience
to their Father, the new Prior, and after them the
Converts, and lastly the Donates did the like.
When this was done they spent the day with joy and
giving of thanks, and at last their Fathers, the Priors
of the other houses who had taken part in all that
was done, said farewell to them, and the Brothers
left the garden and returned to their cells.
When the bell rang for Vespers they came together
to the choir, and sang the Vespers of St. Mary Magdalene
with cheerful voices. After three days the Brothers
were called together to the Chapter House, and the
Prior proposed that in accordance with the statutes
they should choose another Sub-Prior, so on the Feast
of St. James the Apostle, before the hour for Vespers,
Brother Thomas of Kempen was nominated and elected
after a brief scrutiny. He was one of the elders,
being sixty-seven years of age, and in past times
had been appointed to this office, and albeit he knew
himself to be insufficient and would have made excuse,
yet he did submit him humbly to the assembled Brothers,
for his obedience bade him so to do; neither did he
refuse to undergo toil on their behalf for the love
of Christ Jesus, but earnestly besought the prayers
of his comrades and Brothers, for he trusted rather
in the grace of God than in himself.